ONS: Rum replaces Champagne in shopping baskets

The Office of National Statistics’ latest “shopping basket” has seen white rum replace Champagne in the list of what consumers typically buy.

The basket, as described by the ONS, is a compilation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Retail Prices Index (RPI) and is reviewed each year to reflect changes in consumer buying habits.

ONS explained: “A convenient way of thinking about both the CPI and RPI is to imagine a ‘shopping basket’ containing those goods and services on which people typically spend their money. As the prices of the various items in the basket change over time, so does the total cost of the basket. Movements in the CPI and RPI represent the changing cost of this representative shopping basket.”

The report showed that alcohol’s place in the average basket has decreased to 61 parts per 1,000 in RPI, down from 76 in 1987, highs of 80 in 1992 and 1997 and which dipped to its lowest last year – 56.

This is in line with reports that consumption in the UK is decreasing and has been for a number of years.

White rum has been added to “diversify the range of spirits covered,” whereas, it was felt, on-trade sales Champagne and of puddings could be removed, “without any significant loss of precision in estimates of price changes overall”.

Other “in” items include: blueberries, men’s t-shirts, salami and prosciutto and e-books.

“Out” items include: round lettuces (in favour of pre-packaged salads) and basin taps.

The full pdf can be downloaded here.